Grown up glamour

Awards season is well and truly underway, and with just a month to go until the Oscars the red carpet fashion frenzy is in full swing. What I am finding so refreshing this year is how many of the more  mature Best Actress nominees are giving their younger counterparts a real run for their money in the style stakes. Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Julia Roberts have all been strutting their stuff, taking risks and showing us just how good 40+ women can and do look.

Photo: UPI/Jim Ruymen

When you are walking the red carpet year in year out (this is Streep's 18th nomination!!!) I imagine fashion choices become rather less important, but Meryl Streep has really upped her game this season, wearing a casual black and gold Michael Kors combo at the Palm Springs Film Festival (below) and a blue Stella McCartney tunic dress at the Critics Choice Awards (above with Julia Roberts in Juan Carlos Obando) to great effect:

Photo: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for PSFF

And here is Meryl, in Stella McCartney again, at the SAG awards, goofing around with her new best friend Emma Thompson, who having thrown away her Louboutin's at the Golden Globes, is rather glorious in a vintage dress with silver flats. They actually look like real women, having fun, which makes rather a change for Hollywood, non?

Sandra Bullock has also been rocking a more directional look recently. I love this bright Alex Perry dress  - perfect for Palm Springs, with the pop of pink lip colour adding that final touch of glamour,

Photo: Fame/Flynet

whilst the Burberry sweater and skirt combo she wore at the AFI awards luncheon with nude Brian Attwood shoes is understated and classy:

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America

Julia Roberts has been away from the red carpet for a while but thanks to "August: Osage County" she's back, looking modern and fresh in leopard print Gucci with a messy up-do for the Palm Springs Film Festival,

Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

and in pink Valentino with loose waves and a smoky eye for the SAG awards:

Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Last, but by no means least, awards season 2014 wouldn't be complete without la Blanchett. Does anyone else think she also seems to be getting more beautiful as she gets older? Her hair and make-up at the Golden Globes were so elegant, beautifully offset by the high neck on her Armani Privé lace gown, and those gorgeous earrings:

Here she is wearing sophisticated dark green Lanvin, with a stunning red lip at the Critics Choice awards,

and looking somewhat more edgy in Givenchy at the AACTA awards in Sydney. Whilst I can't condone the side-boob here - it is so hard to pull off, even for someone as classy as Blanchett - I do applaud her mussed-up hair and low-key make-up. In fact I feel a bit of a style crush coming on....

Whilst this is most definitely a post in praise of the older woman, I will just give a small shout out to this year's triumphant young newcomer - Lupita Nyong'o who hasn't put a Jimmy  Choo wrong yet with her bold, exciting dress choices - seen here at the Golden Globes in glorious Ralph Lauren,

and in tropical turquoise Gucci, getting photobombed by Emma Thompson at the SAG awards.

Photo: Wireimage

 

I can't wait to see what they will all be wearing come Oscar night, and who the After My Own Fashion Best Dressed awards will go to - watch this space.

Oscars 2013

So tomorrow night we'll find out who the winners are on Hollywood's biggest night, and who will have to smile through gritted teeth when their name isn't called out....

Photo: Getty Images

Whilst some of the awards seem to be a shoo-in - Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress, Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor, I have to admit to being completely biased and wanting 'Les Mis' to win Best Film as that would mean my former boss of 10 years being up on that podium and nothing would make me prouder or happier, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, you can play the game and see how many of the Best Picture winners (1927 - 2011) you can spot in this 4 minute montage:

(Hint: there are 84).

And the old adage that you should never work with animals and children? These kids have those Best Picture Nominations nailed...

So, go 'Les Misserahdbfjiwbv'!

Plus, we all know it's really all about the frocks...

O Brother....

Ok, so normally it's the girls who get the most attention on the red carpet but at the Baftas in London last weekend all eyes were on the best looking couple of the night - Messrs Clooney and Affleck, who are in the throes of a beautiful bromance - matching beards, overcoats and Baftas.

Photo: Getty

They just both look so darned handsome, don't they? George with his silver fox hair and salt and pepper beard and Ben, well, quite frankly, who knew?

Photo: Bafta

Roll on the Oscars, I can't wait to see what the dapper duo will be wearing....

Belles of the Ball Part 1

In a sea of awards ceremonies at this time of year, it's easy to become a bit jaded by endless photos of the stars on the red carpet. Some play it safe, some try too hard, some get it right and some get it just plain wrong! I like choosing my stand out star/outfit for each major event and interestingly, after the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild awards this month, both my winners are wearing French couture. Perhaps all these years of living here are finally starting to have their effect on me.

And the 'After My Own Fashion' award at the Golden Globes goes to.... Anne Hathaway in Chanel

Photo: Getty

She looks so beautiful in this white, crystal encrusted Chanel gown, with her amazing pixie hair cut and simple jewellery, she quite took my breath away. It seems fitting that she should be winning awards for her role as Fantine in ' Les Miserables' when her mother had performed the same role many years earlier and inspired Anne to follow in her footsteps. 'I dreamed a dream' indeed. Red carpet perfection, I'm not sure how she can outdo herself at the Oscars...

And onto the SAG awards last Sunday night, and amidst a sea of ho hum dresses and the odd frock horror (Sigourney Weaver I love you, but what were you thinking?) the hands down winner for me was.... Marion Cotillard in Dior.

Wearing Dior pre Fall 2013 with a Chopard watch and diamonds she is effortlessly elegant, simple, chic and well, oh so French. She reminds me of Grace Kelly - French royalty.

Photo: Getty

 Christian Dior

As you can see, the bodice has been subtly altered from the showroom version and with the stark definition between the white and the navy on the nipped in waist and the deep pockets adding that touch of modernity, this is Raf Simons' Dior New Look for the 21st Century.

Coming soon, Belles of the Ball Part 2: the BAFTAS and the Oscars.

Justin Goff/GoffPhotos.com

PS: A Special Mention goes to Laura Bailey at the London world premiere of 'Les Miserables' in December.  Cinderella leaving the ball in pink chiffon and satin - fairytale fashion...